Croatia - Dubrovnik

[dahamsta]

Myself and Mrs-Dahamsta-To-Be are going to Croatia in August for our honeymoon, first week on an island off Zadar, second week in Dubrovnik. Yarone is scouring the travel books for stuff to do, but there's always things that aren't in the books, so tips would be most welcome.

adam

[Poor Student]

Congratulations/commiserations, Adam.:)

[AidoM]

Congrats adam. I hope you didn't meet on the internet :rolleyes:. Is she a member of foot.ie :o

[dahamsta]

Thanks very much lads. Thought I'd mentioned it here before. She isn't a member, but she was a member of Boards.ie, which is where I met her. You wouldn't expect anything else from me, eh? :)

adam

[paudie]

Congrats Dahamsta.

Was in Croatia in September and its a lovely country. Dubrovnik is very nice but you'd see it all in a day.

If you hire a car it's worth going to Montenegro, which is only an hours drive from Dubrovnik.
We travelled around the Gulf of Kotor on an awful day and it must be magnificent in good weather. The town of Kotor itself is also lovely although it attracts a lot of tourists. They use the € in Montenegro which is handy.

Bosnia is also very close to that part of Croatia. We didn't get to Mostar but i think its maybe 4 or 5 hours drive.

[Closed Account 2]

I was there last may, but have been to the former Yugoslavia loads. There is LOADS to see and do. Dubrovnik is about 2 days in total (3 if you go up Gora Trg (the big Hill behind the town)), but it makes a good base. You can go to Bosnia (Mostar is well worth a visit, about 3 hours to get to but you can easily spend a day there). Some people go to Medjugorje, but I didnt think there was too much there. On the road to Mostar from Dubrovnik is a small town called Pocitelj, that's well wort stopping off on for 2-3 hours, the Naretva Plain (river delta) is also spectacular and you see it from the road on the journey near Metkovic. On the way back you can stop in Neum (the only town in Bosnia's 6km of coastline) you can buy really cheap chocolates (Krasic I think it's called), and also cheap alcohol. Take suncream, one of my friends is from Mostar and it can go as high as 40.C in summer.

If you get the chance go to Montenegro. Kotor and Sveti Stefan (a bit far though) are really nice places and the whole Boka Kotorska (the big fjord) is spectaular.

Krka national park, near Sibinek and Knin, just north and inland from Zadar is very good too.

If you need any more information let me know, I have been all over the ex-Yug, and have lots of friends from there if you need more info... or if you want to see some of the pics I took I can upload them so you can see the places for yourself.

uzivaj!

[the 12 th man]

http://www.croatiatours.ie/


Afaik Croatia is all this Travel Agent does.


P.S.congratulations!!

[dahamsta]

Thanks again!

We're hiring a car for the full two weeks and we've several day trips planned, although I only know a few of them offhand: Sarajevo, some national park, and probably Montenegro. Everything is booked, so I'm looking for stuff off the beaten track that might not be in Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, etc. Just don't want to miss anything cool tbh.

adam

[stiofain]

Cant offer any advice unfortunately, but congratulations and best of luck for the wedding / honeymoon.

[dahamsta]

Thanks stiofain.

[pineapple stu]

A travel magazine I subscribe to (Wanderlust) had a trip planner to Croatia a few issues ago. However, I lent it to someone and haven't gotten it back since... It's usually good for out of the way places I think (though haven't gone to any of the places profiled since I started subscribing). If I get it back, I'll scan it and send it on. Want to see if it's any good if nothing else! Alternatively, you can contact them and buy the back issue.

[dahamsta]

They have a few articles on their site (http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/search.php?category_id=45&submit=Go) about Croatia, so I'll get the dedicated researcher to have a look through to see if they're any good, ta. If you find the trip planner do please let me know if it was up to scratch.

adam

[Bluebeard]

Congrats Boss, glad to hear about it. I hope the Croatian trip goes well and you enjoy a rest.

(Everyone else, checkout my myspace party page - HUMUNGOUS party on these pages for two weeks in August while dahamsta is away)

[dahamsta]

Thank you Bluebeard. I'm bringing Hitler out of retirement to run things while I'm gone.

[paul_oshea]

would he be a good pal then? ;)

[A face]

Folks, possibly heading to Dubrovnik in the summer so just wondering has anyone got any advise on it?

[HarpoJoyce]

Folks, possibly heading to Dubrovnik in the summer so just wondering has anyone got any advise on it?

Alot of visitors stay in apartments or family-share accomodation just outside the old walls or in Lapad an area north of that close to the port and bus station. There may be a festival on while you're there as Dubrovnik tries to keep it's huge number of Italian visitors entertained. The food is good quality and good value, there are a series of restuarants on an upper street East of the main drag inside the walls and they compete with each other for quality and price.

That region of Europe is well catered for accomodation, but if your moving around in high summer, be cautious of securing accomodation that night.

There are regular ferries to the islands nearby and it may be possible to follow the archipelico north up to Split , this town has some Roman stuff and same sunny atmosphere as Dubrovnik.
Buses are the only available public transport on land, that far south in Croatia, but it will get you to Kotor (Montenegro) deepest fjord in Sth. Europe. Walled town built into the mountainside. There is also paved walking on ancient routes above this town and I believe it's possible to walk all the way to Cetinje an old Montenegrian capital.
Good bus services to Mostar and Medjugore both towns in Bosnia. Mostar is worth a look around as is Sarajevo.

[sligoman]

Not much to see or do in Dubrovnik itself. Good for a drinking session though, just ask the hundred or so Rovers fans who stayed there last year for our European game :)

[Spudulika]

Lived there for a while and still have a house that is being looked after by friends. Zadar is a nice spot to visit, the old town (especially the area around the wells) is somehow calming, while cfdh hit the nail on the head with going inland. If you can drive from Zadar through Benkovac and into Knin you'll be rewarded with amazing sights, while in Knin climb to the top of the fortress, have a cracking (and mega cheap) meal in the restaurant there, then check out the waterfalls - they don't, em, fall in the summer which means you can walk out to the edge of the course for great views. Then spin down to Sibenik for some sights, down along the coast to Split. Split is a nice city, especially Diocletians Palace and is tolerable even if the locals can be a bit snooty (you have the old second city mentality in full flow). Dubrovnik is an excellent day trip and unforgettable, but after 2 days will drive you mental.